BACKGROUND: After the development of the Q-switched lasers, it was possible to remove tattoos without causing scarring. Currently, Q-switched ruby lasers, Q-switched Nd: YAG lasers and Q-switched alexandrite lasers are used selectively to treat tattoos. The objective of this study was to determine the difference of effectiveness aceording to color, site and duration in removing tattoo pigments by the alexandrite laser. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 tattoos were treated with a Q-switched alexandrite laser(model IL-l, Candela Laser Corporation. Wayland. U.S.A.). Pretreatment evaluation included a clinical desrviption of the site, color, duration and photographs were taken. The effects were examined by fether photo graphs and telephone follow-up. The response was expressed as the percentage area cleared of the tattoo. The clearance was graded as follows: clear, >95%; excellent, 76-95%; good, 51-75%; fair, 26-50%; poor < 25%. The occurence of adverse events were also examined. RESULTS: 1""he results are summarized as follows: 1. Treatment with fluences that ranged from 6.0-8.0J/cm2 was given on average 1.7 times and better results were achived than expected in 80% of all patients with tattoo. 2. The effectiveness of laser therapy correlated with the number of treatments. 3. After 1 laser session, tattoos of black and darkblue showed better results than light blue in terms of color. 4. After 1 laser session, the sites of tattoos on upper extremitise showed better results than those of the eyebmw, eyeline and face. 5. Differences in duration after 1 laser session were not seen. 6. Hyperpigmentation in 2 cases and bulla formation in 1 case occurred and all complications had ceased after a few months. CONCLUSION: The alexandrite laser is an effective treatment for cosmetic, general and traumatic tattoos with a low incidence of significant adverse effects and provides excellent cosmetic results.
Cicatrix ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Incidence ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Telephone

The detection of the tubercle bacilli is absolutely necessary to make definite diagnosis of patients with genitourinary tuberculosis. Recently it has been reported that the detection rate of tubercle bacilli from the patient's urine is decreasing because of abuse of the anti-tuberculous drugs and the resistance developed in the experimental animals such as mouse and guinea pig (Marks, 1972). Therefore the necessity of the development of better diagnostic methods has been mandatory. Recently it was reported that the Korean chipmunks(Tamias sibiricus asiaticus. Gmelin) are highly susceptible to tubercle bacilli (Chang et al., 1971). The specific objection of this study is to pursue the possibility of using the chipmunks for the early diagnosis of genitourinary tuberculosis. Twenty-four hour urines of 34 patients with suspected genitourinary tuberculosis were tested for tubercle bacilli with smear, culture, and inoculation ink chipmunks and mice intraperitoneally. The results are briefly summarized as follows: 1. 18 cases out of 34 patients with suspected genitourinary tuberculosis were confirmed to be positive by any means of stained smear, culture and animal inoculation. Of 18 proved genitourinary tuberculosis. 12 cases were confirmed by smear, culture and mouse inoculation, and on the other hand. 14 cases by chipmunks inoculation. 2. In the group of chipmunks inoculation, 8 cases were found to be positive on the 10th day and 14 cages on the 20th day. 3. These findings suggest that the period required for the detection of tubercle bacilli was shorter and the positive rate was higher than that of other animals and other methods. For the clinical applications of the Korean chipmunks as a diagnostic tools, further effort is considered to be necessary.
Animals ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Guinea Pigs ; Hand ; Humans ; Ink ; Mice ; Sciuridae* ; Tuberculosis*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Compliance*

Angioma serpiginosum is a rare acquired naevoid disorder, characterized by minute red or purple punta that are frequently arranged in serpiginous patterns in the lower extremities and buttocks. It usually begins in childhood and is more common in females. Histopathologically, thin-walled capillaries in the dermal papillae and the superficial reticular dermis are widely dilated without extravasation of red blood cells. We report a case of angioma serpiginosum on the lateral aspect of the right arm along the lines of Blaschko in a 36-year-old woman.
Adult ; Arm ; Buttocks ; Capillaries ; Dermis ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Lower Extremity

Eccrine nevus is a rare benign cutaneous lesion, frequently present at birth or at an early age. Herein we report on a 1-year-old girl with erythematous papules in a zosteriform arrangement associated with hyperhidrosis on the left side of her trunk.
Female ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis ; Nevus* ; Parturition

BACKGROUND: Drug reactions are common problems in hospital inpatients and outpatients. Reliable diagnosis is essential but often difficult. OBJECTIVE: This study attempts to define the clinical features and causative drugs in the patients with drug eruptions, and to evaluate the diagnostic value of skin tests. METHODS: Sixty one patients with drug eruptions were reviewed clinically. In 18 patients, patch and prick tests were performed using suspected drugs. RESULTS: 1. The highest incidence of drug eruptions was observed in the third and forth decades(44.2%) and there was no sexual prodominence. 2. The most frequent latent peroid was 4 hours to 1 week(49.2%). 3. The common morphological features were exanthematous eruptions(57.3%), urticaria(14.8%) and fixed drug eruptoins(11.5%). 4. The major causative drugs were antibiotics(cephalosporin, ampicillin), antipyretics/anti-inflammatory analgesics(aspirin, piroxicam) and CNS depressants(diphenylhydantoin). 5. Clinical manifestations according to possible causative drugs were as follows; exanthematous eruptions by antibiotics, antipyretics/analgesics, herbs, CNS depressants, propylthiouracil and captopril; urticaria by antibiotics and herbs; fixed drug eruption by sulfonamide, antipyretics/analgesics and phenobarbital; acneiform eruptions by diphenylhydantoin and isoniazid; Stevens-Johnson syndrome by ampicillin, sulfonamide, aspirin and piroxicam, erythema nodosum by sulfonamide, and lichenoid drug eruptions by propylthiouracil. 6. Positivity to patch and prick tests was shown in 2 of the 18 patients and in 1 of 18 patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent clinical feature of the drug eruptions were exanthematous in nature and the most common causative drugs were antibiotics, as suspected. To search for the causative drug of the drug eruption, the only usual methods of patch and prick tests were not sufficient in our study.
Acneiform Eruptions ; Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aspirin ; Captopril ; Central Nervous System Depressants ; Diagnosis ; Drug Eruptions* ; Erythema Nodosum ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Isoniazid ; Outpatients ; Patch Tests ; Phenobarbital ; Phenytoin ; Piroxicam ; Propylthiouracil ; Skin Tests* ; Skin* ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; Urticaria

Eosinophilic panniculitis is characterized by a prominent infiltration of numerous eosinophils in subcutaneous fat, and has been identified in patients with a variety of associated clinical conditions. A case of eosinophilic panniculitis in a 20-year-old woman with a history of atopic dermatitis is reported. She later developed superior sagittal sinus thrombosis, and we stress the importance of systemic evaluations in patients with eosinophilic panniculitis.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eosinophils* ; Female ; Humans ; Panniculitis* ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Superior Sagittal Sinus* ; Thrombosis* ; Young Adult

The anti-inflammatory activity of a corticosteroid may mask the contact allergic reaction it is causing. This may be an important reason why contact allergy to corticosteroids has often been missed. A simple persistent aggravation of a dermatitis in a patient treated with one or more topical corticosteroids is sufficient to raise a suspicion of corticosteroid hypersensitivity. A 23-year-old male visited our department for the evaluation of his aggravated pruritic oozing erythematous papules, scales and edema of the face. Previously, he was treated with Dermatop ointment and Plancollotion. A Patch test showed positive reactions to prednicarbate 10%, 1%, hydrocortisone-17-butyrate 10%, and triamcinolone 10%. We conclude prednicarbate in Dermatop ointment, hydrocortisone-17-butyrate in Plancol lotion to be the etiological agents.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Edema ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Male ; Masks ; Patch Tests ; Triamcinolone ; Weights and Measures ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Animals ; Liver* ; Rats* ; Selenium*